Pencil eraser



C. F. NORLIN Nov. 23, 1948.

PENCIL ERASER Filed April 28, 1945 v JU Y @M F my w/B a w 7. y

Patented Nov. 23, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT rot-FICE PENCIL ERASER Clarence F. Norlin, Chicago, Ill.

' Application April 28', 1945,v Seriall No. 590,927

(o1. 12o- 38) Y 8 Claims. .1

This invention relates tou a pencileraser more particularly adapted for releasable attachment with a mechanical pencil and which has a doubleV utility of being connected with such a 'pencil and reversible to expose a fresh eraser after the' first portionV thereof has been used.

There are'numeroustypes of erasers adapted for connection with pencils and in 'most cases such Aerasers require a considerable amount of Wastel materialfor accommodating the attaching means by which such' erasers are connected with pencils of varioustypes. Furthermore, it is usually-fthe practice-to produce such `an'eraser having 'only one effective erasing head Aor portion that requires replacement each time' such por-y tion has been utilized.

VIt is one `of the main objectsof thepresent invention to produce an eraser which Willrequire a relatively small amount of vvaste rubber to effectively carry the securing means by Whichsuch eraseris attached to` a pencil.

Another object in combination with' the above noted' advantageous 'feature is that the eraser is produced with a double-head having a dual capacity eraser active underthe'same fastening means and definitely moreecient than the nor4 mal single head erasers` of the kind 'described'.

Another feature of the present eraserdesigri is that the rubber itself together with a band encircling the` same forms a resilient meansthrough the coaction of the rubber and the band which will expand. the" attaching means for securement with a suitablacoacting pencil cap preformedI for holding the eraser of theA present Construci-l tion. l All' other objects'` and advantages inherently embodied in the eraser of the present design shall hereinafter appearV inthe following dem tailed descriptionv ofl a preferredl and'modified construction thereof having reference tofthef ac-J companying drawings.

In the' drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side e1evationa1`viewof'a deriven-- tional mechanicalY pencil embodying the'erasr constructed inA accordance with thefprin'ciples ofi the present invention;

Fig.' 2 is an'en'l'arged fragmentary sectional portion of the eraser endof the mechanical pencil illustrated in Fig. l and as viewed substantially along the line 2 2 therein;

' Fig. 3- is an end elevational View of theA eraser per se as removed fromy the pencil;

Fig. 4 lis a cross-sectional view of the eraser as taken substantially along the line `II=4 in Fig.` 3;-:and Y l Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modified construction of eraser as attached to a pencil.

It is to be understood that the present eraser may be applied to most any form of pencil,v but is preferably for use in connection with a mechanical type of pencil inasmuch as the greatest utility is inherently found in such use. In mechanical type of pencils it is usually the practice to provide a magazine or lead chamber in the upper portion of the pencil and the eraser is used in the capacity of a plug or closure means for preventing the leads from dropping out of the magazine end of such a pencil. By making an eraser of a construction which is readilyvrernovable to permit access to the eXtra leads the facility and usefulness of such an eraser is much more efficient and convenient.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, a pencil is indicated generally at 6 having a cap 'I in the form of the hollow sleeve frictionally secured adjacent the shoulder 8 at the upper open end 9 of the pencil body Il). The extra lead magazine is indicated at II with spare lead I2 therein.

The eraser per se is indicated by the reference numeral I3 and comprises a relatively elongated rubber eraser portion I4 with the ends I5 and I6 thereof providing a double ended pencil eraser.

A band` II in the form of a sleeve encircles the mid portion of the eraser I4. The band I'I is preferably of resilient material continuous excepting for a slit I8 shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The band I'I is secured to the midpoint of the eraser I4- by circumferentially crimping the ter minal edges I9 and 20 to bite into the eraser at'the' ends of the band I'I.

The band I'I normally occupies the open position` illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 and is so held by the` expansion of the rubber portion of the eraser Within the band. Furthermore, the length of the band I'I is relatively short in order that a relatively small amount of the eraser I4 will be Wasted after both ends of the latter have been ef-A fectively used While attached to theV pencil.

Another advantageous feature is the function of the bandY II and its cooperationwith the inwardly crimped edge 2I of the cap l forming detent means for positioning the band Il in counter sunk relation within the pencil exposing the ends I5 and I6 of the rubber' Ill to provide one end for active use While storing the other end within the upper Well or the pencil cap itself.

Undernormal conditions the band I1 will be expanded un'der'the action of the rubber I4v to dispose the outer diameter of the band in a position wherein the same will be substantially coincident with the inner diameter of the pencil cap l. The eraser is therefore applied to the pencil by means of contracting the band l1 compressing the entrapped rubber and inserting the same into the open end of the cap 'l until the groove 22 formed centrally about the periphery of the band is aligned with the inwardly crimped open edges of the band Il'. When the band is moved into this position particularly illustrated in Fig. 2, the band will expand under the internal resiliency of the rubber and snap into place with the concealed half of the band l1 in circumferential contact with the inner surface of the cap 1 of the pencil.

Referring again to Fig. 4 it should be noted that the circumferentially crimped ends I9 and 2U of the band Il are made to oppose longitudinal movement or the rubber in either direction relative to the band Il. eraser unit is held in position relative to the pencil as illustrated in Fig. 2, the exposed usable portion of the rubber will normally be urged toward the pencil and its holding band Il but such' movement will be stopped directly by the particular crimped edge of the band il that is adjacent the exposed rubber portion of the eraser.

It should also be understood that although the eraser shown in Fig. 2 is directly connected with an auxiliary portion of the pencil in the form of the band ll, that it is also readily possible to form a portion `of the pencil body per se in such a manner as to also cooperate with the band Il and including a cap that will be operative to gf,

enter the groove 22 upon the band similar to the detent means 2| to directly hold such' eraser in releasable position capable of subsequent inversion when one end of the usable rubber eraser portion has been worn away.

Referring now to Fig. 5, it is seen that the pencil end has been modified to hold the cap l in a lower position with respect to the end of the pencil body ill containing the extra lead chamber l l. In this construction, the upper end 2l of the cap l is crimped in the same manner as in the preferred form illustrated in Fig. 2 to provide detent means for latching engagement within the peripheral groove 22 or" the band il. In this case, however, the peripheral groove is provided by crimping the central peripheral portion of the band upon the rubber to thereby prevent relative movement between the rubber Ifl and the band l'i. Also, the band I7 in this case is preferably made with relatively fiat shouldered ends 23 and 2li which are used for abutment purposes to directly cooperate to seat upon the dat shouldered end 25 of the upper portion of the pencil body Il). In this case therefore, the rubber I4 houses the unused portion thereof directly within the upper hollow end of the pencil body itself.

The latter construction explained and disclosed in Fig. 5 incorporates the use of a centrally crimped band, such band also being split as shown in Fig. 3 and which pencil eraser band is provided in such proportions as to length and diameter for resting or abutting the upper edge 25 of the pencil body when such' band and its rubber are seated within the detent means of the pencil cooperating with the band groove.

In either of the constructions illustrated attention is directed to the fact that the circumferential grooves 22 in the bands ll also provide grip means for a fingernail to aid in retracting the eraser unit for purposes of inversion to bring Moreover, when the rubber the fresh eraser tip into usable relation or for the purpose of expelling the band when both of the rubber tips have been worn away.

Other variations and modifications are contemplated in the disclosures described having particular reference to the construction, form, or combination of parts shown. Such changes or modications shall be directly controlled by the latitude and purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. An eraser for attachment with the hollow cap structure of a pencil comprising a rubber, a resilient band secured centrally about said rubber, said band having a recess therein, said hollow cap structure having inwardly formed detent means adapted for engagement within said band recess to releasably attach the band to said pencil with one portion of the rubber disposed in usable exposed relation with respect to the pencil.

2. An eraser for attachment with the hollow cap of a pencil, comprising a rubber, a resilient band secured'centrally about said rubber with the latter protruding from both end-s thereof, circumferentially said band having a located recess midway of the ends thereof, and detent means on said hollow cap to engage within said recess to releasably secure said band to said pencil with one end of said rubber disposed in usable exposed relation with respect to the pencil.

3. A replaceable eraser for connection with a hollow pencil cap, comprising an elongated rubber, an expansible band secured about the rubber midway of the ends thereof and urged radially outwardly by said rubber into a predetermined expanded position, said band having a central circumferential depression therein, and said cap having a continuous projection thereon for engagement within said band groove upon expansion of said band subsequent to contraction thereof for insertion into said hollow cap and into operative relation with respect to said continuous projection thereon.

4. A replaceable eraser for connection with a pencil cap, comprising a rubber, a split band disposed about the mid point of said rubber and urged radially outwardly into a predetermined position by said rubber, said band having a central groove encircling the same between the ends thereof, said band being substantially of the same outside diameter as the internal diameter of said cap when in said predetermined expanded position, and detent means projecting inwardly toward the axial centerline of said cap and adapted to engage within said band groove after the band is contracted against the rubber to allow insertion of said band into said cap and subsequent expansion upon alignment of said cap detent means an'd said band groove.

5. A replaceable eraser for connection with a pencil cap, comprising a rubber, a split band disposed about the mid point of said rubber and urged radially outwardly into a predetermined position by said rubber, the ends of said band being crimped into said rubber to prevent relf ative movement between said band and rubber longitudinally, said band having a central groove encircling the same between the ends thereof, said band being substantially of the same outside diameter as the internal diameter of said cap when in said predetermined expanded position, and detent means projecting inwardly toward the axial centerline of said cap and adapted to engage within said band groove after the band is contracted against the rubber to allow insertion of said band into said cap and subsequent expansion upon alignment of said cap detent means and said band groove.

6. A replaceable eraser for connection with a pencil cap, comprising a'rubber, a split band disposed about the midpoint of said rubber and urged radially outwardly into a predetermined position by said rubber, a central groove encircling 'said band midway between the ends thereof, said band being -substantially of the same outside 'diameter as the internal diameter of said cap when in said predetermined expanded position, and detent means extending inwardly toward the axial centerline of said cap to engage within said band groove after the band is contracted against the rubber to allow insertion of said ban'd into said cap and subsequent expansion upon alignment of said cap detent means and said groove, said band being positioned by said cap detent means and the band of such length to abuttingly engage and rest upon the upper face of the pencil body to Afurther steady said rubber.

7. A replaceable eraser for connection with a hollow pencil cap seated upon the pencil body with the latter extending into said cap, said eraser comprising a rubber, an expansible member tightly encircling said rubber, and cooperative detent means carried by said member and the pencil cap respectively to hold the eraser in position upon the pencil, said expansible member having one end thereof directly engaging an integral portion of said pencil body to abut the latter to steady said member and the connected rubber with respect to the cap.

8. An eraser for attachment with the hollow cap structure of a pencil comprising a. rubber, a resilient band secured centrally about said rubber, said band having a recess therein, said hollow cap structure having inwardly formed detent means adapted for engagement Within said band recess to releasably attach the band to said pencil in a position exposing one portion of said rubber in usable relation with respect to said cap, and guide means carried by said cap and adapted to engage said eraser structure to steady same during use, said detent means preventing in and out displa-cement of said eraser structure while in normal use.

CLARENCE F. `NORLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 364,473 Bowman June 7, 1887 854,487 Goldsmith May 21, 1907 

